About

My name is Emily, and I’m the blogger behind Brave Little Pig. I created this blog out of sheer frustration that despite the volume of online information aimed at small businesses, there didn’t seem to be many voices who really ‘got’ the unique challenges of running a small operation. Some blogs and websites promise great things but when you ‘dig in’, the information isn’t practical or relevant enough to be truly helpful.

I am a former nurse, pharmaceutical sales representative and small business owner, now pursuing my creative passions in writing, design, photography and digital media, including teaching Digital Media at Deakin University (Australia). You will find some of my reflections on teaching and lifelong learning in this blog too! My constant drive to learn new things and strong penchant for (real) chai tea get me out of bed every morning. Well, my two young sons wake me up first, but those two things come in at a close second!

I have completed a Bachelor of Nursing, a Diploma of Professional Photography and a Graduate Diploma of Communications at Deakin University. My broad experience has given me valuable insight into a number of industries, gathering a variety of skills and experience along the way, and I’m thrilled to be following a more creative path now!

Formulating a business name can become a drawn-out, emotional process for such a (seemingly) small detail. Inspiration for this one came from several places. It ended up sticking because feedback from friends and family was so positive – informal market research like this can be the first indication that you’re onto a good thing. Brave Little Pig is memorable and a bit cute; it has personal significance but appeals to a broader audience at the same time.

‘Brave’ is a reference to how tough and determined you need to be in order to succeed as a small business owner, freelancer or new graduate – only the brave ones make it! The ‘pig’ part was inspired by Chinese astrology; I was born in the year of the pig. ‘Little’ is a reference to my physical size, but it also adds a ‘cute’ element to the brand.